NCDOT: Contract Awarded for New Rail Connection in Robeson County

September 8, 2015 at 10:18 PM EST - Updated July 27 at 6:15 AM

ROBESON COUNTY, NC (WMBF) – The North Carolina Department of Transportation recently awarded a $10.2 million grading contract to C.M. Lindsay & Sons, Inc. in Lumberton, to build a new 2.4-mile single-track railroad connection in Robeson County, according to a news release from NCDOT.

CSX Transportation will create the new track and railroad signals once the grading contract is complete.

The CSX A-line (north-south railroad line) and CSX SE-line (east-west rail line) will connect north of Pembroke to allow freight trains a direct connection between Wilmington, Fayetteville and points north, the release states.

Freight congestion will be alleviated because the new line will bypass Pembroke to the north.

The new route will be safer and more efficient for general freight trains and military equipment that frequently travel through the area.

The NCDOT says work is expected to begin late this month and they believe it will be completed in May of 2018. They do anticipate that construction will have minimal impacts on local highway traffic.

This contract is just one of seven road and bridge projects that have recently been awarded by NCDOT.

State law required that the contracts be awarded to the lowest qualified bidder.

According to the NCDOT news release, the contracts are worth close to $79.9 million, which is $1.25 million over NCDOT engineers' estimated cost.